The present invention relates to a pawl for a hand tool and, more particularly to a pawl having a flange on the bottom surface thereof and a bore therein in which a reversing lever is received.
A pawl is a mechanical device which allows rotation in one direction only and is a member usually found in a ratchet wrench, flex head wrench or other tool. In these tools the pawl is disposed in an opening in the head of the tool and has two spaced-apart sets of teeth formed on one face of the pawl to engage teeth in a gear or ratchet wheel. The pawl is pivotally moved to engage one or the other sets of teeth with the teeth on the gear to control forward or reverse movement of the gear. The pawls known to the applicant have sides which are continuous and uninterrupted. The only pawl which has a shoulder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,241 to Fors which shows a partial shoulder on which a lever head is supported.
The pawl of the present invention provides a tool which has reduced manufacturing and assembly costs and provides for positive operations. It also is useful in a ratchet wrench with a low profile which enables a user to work in confined spaces where a wrench of the prior art cannot be used.